<![CDATA[Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in mathematics is an increasingly important competency in 21st-century education, but in reality, students in Indonesia still show low achievement in this aspect. This study aims to examine the role of self-efficacy as a mediating variable in the relationship between adversity quotient (AQ) and HOTS in mathematics of junior high school students, using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method. Data were collected from 254 students using validated instruments, including the AQ scale (13 items), self-efficacy scale (10 items), and the HOTS test in mathematics. The results of the evaluation of the measurement model showed that all outer loading values exceeded the minimum limit of 0.70, confirming adequate reliability and validity of the instrument. In the structural model, it was found that AQ had a significant effect on self-efficacy (β = 0.641, R² = 0.411) and a direct effect on HOTS (β = 0.279). Self-efficacy also showed a direct positive effect on HOTS (β = 0.114), resulting in an indirect effect of AQ on HOTS through self-efficacy of 0.073 (total effect = 0.352, R² = 0.132). This finding proves that self-efficacy acts as a partial mediator in the AQ–HOTS relationship, emphasizing the importance of simultaneously strengthening students' resilience in facing difficulties and academic self-confidence to improve higher-order mathematical thinking skills]]>
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